The Simmer

Alice Cheng launched Culinary Agents, a hiring platform for hospitality companies, 12 years ago. Since then, it’s served 2 million users, including more than 50,000 businesses, offering job listings, industry data, and educational content meant to inform and inspire the next generation of restaurant talent.  On this episode, Alice debuts Culinary Agents’ newest endeavor: HospitalityCareerPaths.com, a platform highlighting the professional trajectories of leaders in the industry. (And others, like Kristen.) 

Chef, founder, and industry leader Aaron Noveshen helms San Francisco Bay Area’s Starbird, a chicken concept. Starbird debuted eight years ago hoping to “completely disrupt fast food,” per Noveshen. During that time, the brand has grown quickly, embraced most of the industry’s tech-forward growth tactics — including ghost kitchens, which he still talks about favorably!  On this episode, Noveshen describes the Starbird’s evolution while sharing much of what he’s learned leading a fast-moving, forward-thinking restaurant brand born in the country’s tech epicenter. (Plus, a major QR code-adjacent gripe from Brandon.)

Robert Sietsema has been reviewing restaurants for over 30 years, and he has some thoughts. Specifically, in this episode, he has thoughts about QR code menus (absolutely not), reservations platforms (fine but he'd rather avoid), and social media ("It's putting me out of business."). Plus, Brandon and Kristen hang out in New York and make the restaurant technology introduction of the year.

Tracy Kim, CEO of Dig, a popular East Coast restaurant chain, shares her journey to leadership and insights on the brand’s growth. She discusses the company's rapid expansion, marking its 33rd location, and how they are adapting their business model to meet family dining trends. The conversation also dives into evolving consumer preferences, particularly the shift towards kiosk ordering, and the integration of technology to enhance operations. Kim reflects on overcoming pandemic challenges and the brand's significance in New York.

Reservations are having a moment. So when the biggest player in the game makes big changes to its platform, the industry pays attention. Debby Soo assumed the top role at OpenTable in the summer of 2020, when restaurants were reeling from the sudden onset of the pandemic that changed their business forever. In this episode, we talk about the changes Soo and her exec team have made at OpenTable, working to win back the best restaurants in the country (and abroad) and push a decades-old restaurant technology company into the future. 

Gregg Majewski, CEO of Craveworthy Brands, an innovative restaurant platform company, shares insights on scaling in a competitive market. He discusses how his company achieved explosive growth, reaching 200 locations and $200 million in sales within just 18 months. Majewski emphasizes the importance of brand differentiation and effective support for franchisees. He also tackles the challenges of integrating technology while preserving personal service in dining, and outlines Craveworthy's ambitious plan to develop 500 more restaurants and aim for a billion-dollar valuation.

Matt Tucker, CEO of Tock, an innovative reservation service, dives into the recent shake-ups in the restaurant booking industry. With American Express's acquisition of Tock and OpenTable's partnership with Visa, he offers a bold take on the competitive landscape. Tucker discusses the headache of bots and brokers disrupting reservations and shares insights on the impact of delivery fees on restaurants. He emphasizes the need for fairness in access to dining and the evolution of reservation systems in a rapidly changing market.

Nancy Luna is a veteran restaurant industry reporter and writer. She's covered restaurants in some capacity for over two decades for outlets including The Orange County Register, Nation's Restaurant News, and Business Insider. Starting as a blogger on MySpace (!!) during her local newspaper days, Nancy has carved out a niche that's served her as a journalist for decades. On this special summer vacation episode of The Simmer, we talk media, PR, conferences and more.

What's the future of full service restaurants? It's easy to get caught up in growth and scale, but in this industry segment, customer experience *really* matters. Chip Wade took the reins at Union Square Hospitality Group from its storied founder, Danny Meyer. In this episode, we talk about how Wade will move USHG into a new era, including HQ+, the company's new training program for business leaders across industries.

In January, Owner.com announced a $33 million Series B round of funding, mainly from existing investors. According to Owner.com CRO Kyle Norton, it’s in service of helping mom-and-pop restaurants increase direct online sales. In this episode we talk about how restaurants can find and retain online customers, the evolution of restaurant discovery, and why working within narrow constraints — a particular customer set and limited customization options — is Owner’s winning strategy.